Incandescent light bulbs generally produce light by passing current through a wire filament. The wire filament is heated by the current to a relatively high temperature and outputs heat and light. It is noted that incandescent light bulbs are relatively less efficient than other types of bulbs. Some incandescent light bulbs convert less than five percent of energy into visible light, with the remaining energy being wasted as heat. In some cases, the heat generated by incandescent light bulbs is used or relied upon for a particular purpose. For example, the heat generated by incandescent light bulbs may be relied upon to melt snow or ice on outdoor lighting fixtures.
Because of the relatively low cost and wide range of incandescent light bulbs available, incandescent light bulbs are widely used for residential, commercial, and municipal lighting, although newer, more cost effective and efficient light sources are being adopted. Due in part to their relative inefficiency, incandescent light bulbs are now being replaced by other light bulbs, lamps, or devices, such as fluorescent lamps (e.g., including but not limited to compact fluorescent lamps, cold cathode fluorescent lamps, etc.), high intensity discharge lamps, and light-emitting diodes.
The drawings illustrate only example embodiments and are therefore not to be considered limiting of the scope of the embodiments described herein, as other embodiments are within the scope of this disclosure. The elements and features shown in the drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale, emphasis instead being placed upon clearly illustrating the principles of the embodiments. Additionally, certain dimensions or positionings may be exaggerated to help visually convey certain principles. In the drawings, similar reference numerals between figures designate like or corresponding, but not necessarily the same, elements.